The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-06-25

naStenlng on; In such world / say,
we need a religion that is eminently
practical in its character, message for
to-day, and for every day, suited to the
exlgency of our times and all times.
relating to subjects that are up for dis
cussion among US, to great and press
ing questions Of humanity and Christ
ianity, a religion in word, which shall
consist in taking hold of the evils of
humanity, and in cherishing loving
heart, and manifesting loving life in
speaking out for the true and the holy,
and pleading and acting for the Cypress.
ed and the afflicted and needy. as in
the might of Gods strength.
A more earnest, active, faithful, per-
sistent, missionary denomination than
ours, according to our actual means for
promoting our cause, the world should
not see. If we have not the greatest
reason to live and labor, and grow and
gain abundant prosperity, and be cloth
ed with an uncommon might, who has?
The very spirit of our religion ought to
inspire self-forgetful sublimity that
would shame and belittle the worlds
prevailing sel6shness. And if there are
trials and disappointments, and ankle
ties, and sleepless nights, and toilsome
days, and many lions in the way, there
are also glorious compensations, and
rich rewards to the Christian philan-
thropist. Ours is the grandest move
ment that was ever set afloat upon this
earth-sphere, and have we not faith
enough to make ourselves Christian
power in the world, such as shall be felt
as vitality, and a quickening influence
in other soulsp Have we not enough Of
spiritual life to desire it's diffusion, and
do we not believe in seeking to make
some more lasting impression with
our viewsp There has never been pc
riod in our history when we could &C.
complish so much good as now, and
partly might say, because prejudice is
growing less, and the people are more
ready to accept the positive elements
of our faith when. fairly presented to
their minds. Our simple, practical,
and spiritual religion should lift up our
whole church worship into new life and
helpful activity, and there is no telling
what a blessing it would be to the world.
Never before was there such glori-
Gus occasion for effort, and so grand a
possibility, and hence never before were
the friends Of truth so called upon as
now. With a religion such as we profess,
with its spirit vitalized in our souls,
and its power felt in the hearts Of all
our people, we ought to be able to ad-
vance and take the world to-day. Man
ifestly, we who lay such stress upon
love and self sacrifice, should be will
ing to make some sacrifices ourselves,
that the world may be blessed, and this
gospel of ours may be sent into all the
homes of the land. We have no right
to exist as Christian people, no right
to pretend to exist, but upon one single
condition, namely, that it is in good
faith our paramount object to maintain
in our midst the Religious spirit in its
fullest vigOr. And the very condition
of our growing in the truth, or even re-
tanning it, and enjoying it, and profit
ing by it as the truth, is that we are
interested and Jealous to communicate
to all other minds that which has bless
ed and saved our own. Truth is, we
need more love of God and of truth
and duty, and we need the infusion Of
some fresh moral force that shall kindle
in all our hearts, to give vitality to our
professions, and energy to our efforts,
and sanctity to our faith, and uncon-
querable constancy to our wills, to heal
the waste places of our foreign and do
nestle heathenism, and enlarge and
build up, and strengthen the Masters
fold.
Do we not need some new power
like this among us, some voice to awak
en- the dry bones of barren and self
sufficient piety, some prophets touch to
arouse the dead of the professed Chris
tian church to new and Christ-like
life Of devotion; some divine spirit to
quicken this soul-destroying apathy?
We have to change our habits of think
ing and feeling, and our methods of re-
ligious administration from a station
airy basis and routine of field work and
barricading, to an aggressive one of
open fire, and become missionary
church and body in the truest, the best
and highest sense of the term.
God has entrusted important truths to
our charge, and has given us clear, "a
tional, beneficent ideas and principles,
to be made vital in our lives, and our
efforts, not for our selfish enjoyment
and exclusive monopoly, but for the
world of mankind. We are merely al
moners of his bounty. and are utterly